Chapter 40: Condensing Liquid

Late at night, the cold moon hung high, and the entire Tianyuan Academy was plunged into silence. The croaking of frogs and the buzzing of mosquitoes, the rustling of the wind—even the slightest sound could be heard clearly.

The students were either lost in sweet dreams due to the day's exhaustion, or were currently practicing their breathing and meditation, pondering their cultivation techniques and martial arts. Aside from two or three stray cats and a few cold crows, not a single living creature could be seen within Tianyuan Academy.

"Pat, pat."

Crisp footsteps approached from afar and stopped before a secluded courtyard.

Wang Wu's bright, sparkling eyes flickered with a strange luster, her heart slightly agitated. Once the Innate Soul Liquid refined her entire body, the deficiency in her innate soul power would be immediately compensated for, and there would no longer be the slightest obstacle on her path of Rune Dao.

Her sleeves fluttered, and her skin was like snow, reflecting the brilliance of the starry sky and the full moon.

"The door isn't locked, come in!"

Just then, a strange voice came from inside the room, and Wang Wu was slightly stunned. There seemed to be some hesitation in her eyes, but it was only for a moment; she gritted her teeth, pushed the door open, and entered.

The room was very simple, even slightly cramped. However, the furnishings inside were quite unusual; a bright, shimmering light array was slowly rotating, spewing out rich Heaven and Earth Origin Qi in all directions.

"This is... an Energy Gathering Array!"

She was somewhat astonished, then immediately revealed a look of realization. No wonder Lu Fan was advancing so rapidly; with the assistance of this Energy Gathering Array, his swift progress was understandable.

She nodded slightly, then looked toward the young man in front of the Energy Gathering Array. She was slightly surprised; the other party didn't seem very old, just around twenty years of age. Although his features were quite resolute, there seemed to be a gentleness to him that was not at all repulsive.

When martial arts reached a profound level, the speed of aging would be greatly slowed, and some could even return to their youth, making their appearance no different from ordinary young people.

Wang Wu subconsciously focused her mind to probe, wanting to see through the young man's cultivation, only to find that the other party was blocked by a mysterious power. It was hazy and indistinct, very similar to the Lu Fan of the day, only slightly stronger.

"Ahem..." The young man Lu Fan had transformed into coughed lightly, his voice suddenly deepening as he said slowly, "You must be Wang Wu! Give me the items first, and wait to the side!"

Although Lu Fan had changed his face and bones, he was still in a youth's body after all, and this voice change was somewhat sharp. It made Wang Wu frown, staring at Lu Fan up and down with a strange expression.

Lu Fan had changed his face, and his body had grown a bit sturdier. However, he hadn't changed his clothes; if the Martial Master Robe weren't always loose, it certainly wouldn't fit. In this state, he had turned into a tight-fitting outfit, and although it was strange, it didn't prove anything.

He steadied himself, then said indifferently to Wang Wu, "What? Do you have a problem?"

Although Wang Wu felt it was strange, she couldn't figure out the anomaly. The young man before her was unfathomable, and the aura on his body was something she had never even seen on the Dean of Tianyuan Academy, Liu Zhangsheng.

She only felt that the other party was a senior expert; although he was unkempt, his methods were astonishing, so she didn't dare to be negligent. She hurriedly shook her head to say no, took out a Universe Bag, and respectfully placed it in front of Lu Fan.

Lu Fan's expression was calm; he took the Universe Bag and then pointed to the Energy Gathering Array, saying, "You sit there and meditate for a while first; I'll call you when it's ready!"

As soon as his voice fell, he opened the Universe Bag, reached in with one hand, and an egg-sized blood-colored crystal floated out.

Its brilliance was dazzling, and the Origin Qi swirled, actually condensing into a hazy mist. It twisted uncertainly, and vaguely, it transformed into a small green snake, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.

"The Demon Snake has strong vitality and superb soul power. It does not stiffen even after death; it is an extremely difficult existence to deal with among Desolate Beasts. After reaching the Seventh Tier, even if it dies and its Qi is extinguished, it still has the ability to counterattack."

Lu Fan was slightly surprised; he subconsciously glanced at Wang Wu again and said indifferently, "The Mingyue Empire doesn't have such forces; your family seems extraordinary!"

Wang Wu's mind wavered, and her cold face seemed to freeze due to the surprise. After a long while, she came back to her senses and said, "The senior is right; I do indeed come from another land!"

She didn't say much, and Lu Fan didn't ask much. A little girl, no matter how mysterious her background was, he had no interest in it, so he directly formed seals and began to refine.

He beckoned with one hand, and the Art Refining Crystal Furnace spun around; a burst of fire erupted, and the furnace lid opened on its own.

He tossed the Innate Soul Crystal into the air, and then threw it inside. A majestic fire aura surged out, wrapping around the soul crystal, and the small green snake that emerged from it hissed repeatedly, screaming miserably, as if acting deep within a person's soul.

Wang Wu's beautiful eyes swirled, staring tightly at Lu Fan, her face full of excitement. This person in front of her could refine Innate Soul Liquid; he was at least a Fifth-Tier Rune King. Being able to watch the other party refine medicinal liquid was already an incredible stroke of fortune.

However, just at this moment, Lu Fan waved one hand and tossed the Universe Bag into the Crystal Furnace. The raging flames swallowed the Universe Bag in an instant.

Wang Wu was stunned, her face full of disbelief. Who refined medicine like this? Shouldn't it be added bit by bit, with every medicinal herb carefully refined? He even threw the Universe Bag in; was this refining medicine or burning firewood?

Her face looked somewhat ugly, and she stared at Lu Fan angrily, thinking that this senior was playing with her, and questioned, "Senior, what is the meaning of this?"

Lu Fan's expression was calm, as if he hadn't heard, his hands continuously forming seals, taking turns striking them into the Crystal Furnace.

Amidst the raging flames, wisps of black mist drifted, and there were even faint fragments of runes floating out.

"This is... the Universe Bag's space rune?"

Wang Wu was stunned; the runes floating out from the Crystal Furnace were exactly the space runes inscribed on the Universe Bag. In this state, it seemed like they were being peeled off piece by piece. This senior in front of her actually wanted to treat the Universe Bag as an impurity and refine it out.

"I didn't expect that you, a First-Tier Rune Master, would study so many things." Lu Fan took a moment to glance at the other party, then explained indifferently, "Innate Soul Liquid is just an ordinary medicinal liquid, but the materials are more complex. I find it troublesome, so I refined them together."

Wang Wu only then realized, and couldn't help but look at Lu Fan heavily. According to her past knowledge, the refining process of medicinal agents and spirit pills was harsh, and there could not be a single mistake. Refining so casually and without norms like this must be a profound method.

She couldn't help but think of Lu Fan, and felt a little envious. If she could also be taught by such an expert, the path of Rune Dao wouldn't be so difficult.

"Actually, I could do it too. It's just that I couldn't accept the conditions within the family. I, Wang Wu, only live in this life to reach the peak of martial arts and be proud of the world. As for family forces, although they are a help, they are even more of a constraint; I don't care about them at all!"

Her gaze condensed, as if piercing through layers of void, seeing some powerful existence. Her thoughts changed suddenly, but it didn't escape Lu Fan's eyes.

"Stop having wild thoughts; the time is almost up. The first drop of Innate Soul Liquid is about to come out; hurry up and take off your clothes and prepare for the medicinal bath!"

Lu Fan pointed to the wooden barrel in the corner of the room, signaling.

Wang Wu heard the first half of the words, and her face was full of joy, but when she heard the latter part, her entire face became strange, and a blush appeared.

A girl like her actually had to take a medicinal bath in front of a strange man; how could this be done?

Lu Fan was focused at this time, his hand seals turning and twisting thousands of times; he no longer had the ease and calmness from just now, and his entire face was solemn.

"Condense!"

With a clear shout, a green mist suddenly steamed out of the Crystal Furnace. He grabbed with his large hand, and the mist shrank to the extreme, turning into a crystal-clear liquid ball. A fresh aura that was hard to describe emanated from it, making one feel refreshed and energized a hundredfold after smelling it.

Lu Fan breathed a sigh of relief, then looked toward Wang Wu, his expression suddenly turning cold as he shouted, "Why are you being so dawdling? You should know how to use the Innate Soul Liquid! In another ten breaths, this drop of soul liquid will dissipate and have no effect at all!"

Wang Wu's face looked ugly to the extreme, her face full of hesitation and a trace of shyness. She had clearly made up her mind, but when the time came, she became hesitant.

"Forget it! Consider it my bad luck!" Lu Fan shook his head, his left hand flicking through the air, his spiritual power wrapping around the large wooden barrel and floating it over. His right hand slapped through the air, striking toward Wang Wu.

Wang Wu's face was horrified; she felt a force approaching her body and subconsciously wanted to stimulate her True Qi to resist, only to find that this force was very clever, and she couldn't resist it at all. Because as soon as this force touched her, it immediately exploded and dissipated.

"Rip."

The cloth shattered, and Liu Ruowu's clothes turned into rags in an instant, leaving only her undergarments. Her alluring figure bloomed like a lily.

Lu Fan didn't even look at it, grabbing through the air, a phantom giant palm grabbing her slender waist, and threw her into the large wooden barrel very rudely.

"Splash."

Wang Wu's face was dull; the cold water suddenly woke her up, and her entire mind became clear. She was both ashamed and angry, glaring fiercely at the young man in front of her, her hands tightly protecting her chest.

The clear water soaked through her clothes, like a layer of thin gauze; how could it cover her wonderful figure?

"Hehe! I don't have the slightest interest in a yellow-haired girl like you!" Lu Fan looked mocking; Wang Wu was cold all day long and never gave him a good look, so punishing her like this could also vent his frustration.

Wang Wu gritted her teeth, her pink face full of malice. The respect and gratitude she originally had for the young man in front of her vanished at this moment, turning into hatred and resentment.

Lu Fan saw through the other party's thoughts at a glance, but he had no time to argue, shifting his attention away and waving a point at the Crystal Furnace. The liquid ball flowed over and was directly thrown into the wooden barrel.

As soon as this Earth Soul Liquid entered the wooden barrel, it immediately dissolved in the clear water, and a barrel of green medicinal liquid was immediately generated.

Wang Wu only felt the pores all over her body open, and countless wisps of clear Qi drilled in; she couldn't help but let out a soft moan, appearing to enjoy it very much.

"Hold your Yuan and guard the One; refine it well!"

Lu Fan's changed voice rang in her ears, and she couldn't care about anything else, closing her mind tightly and slowly absorbing and refining it.

Lu Fan's hand seals once again drifted out, striking toward the Crystal Furnace, and the raging fire burned. It was clearly a scene of beauty in the room, but unfortunately, neither side had such thoughts.

Every time an incense stick of time passed, a drop of soul liquid would inevitably condense and be thrown into the wooden barrel by Lu Fan. He didn't know how much time had passed, but the sky was gradually brightening, and there was still a small half of the medicinal herbs in the Crystal Furnace; at this moment, Lu Fan was already exhausted.

He said it simply, that an ordinary Fifth-Tier Rune King could refine it. Unfortunately, he was only a Second-Tier Rune Master, relying on his past life experience and the Profound Artifact Crystal Furnace, but he had underestimated the huge consumption of refining Innate Soul Liquid.

He had no energy left, all his mind was placed on the Crystal Furnace, but he didn't notice the strange phenomena inside and outside the room.

Wang Wu sat cross-legged in the wooden barrel, steam rising from her body, and majestic soul power drifted around her, impacting the restriction array in the room until it shook, on the verge of collapsing.

Outside the room, the chaotic spiritual power ran around, drifting and vibrating, actually condensing into a vortex of wind above this house, lingering for a long time, and had already attracted many academy disciples who were practicing in the morning. ===== CHAPTER 41 =====